Forged in Frost and Fire (Book 1 in the Chronicles of Kings trilogy)

Forty Four

"Take it away," I said, pressing a hand over my heart. The boy sighed, his brows furrowing. He had tattoos covering his skin and he was wearing dark clothes. His image was fading in and out though and I could've sworn that something like dark shadows were moving around him. He had pointed ears too, though he did not feel dangerous like those men who raided my house. I trusted him.

"I know what it feels like to lose everything," he said gently. He flickered a hand and I saw a dark tendril wind through his fingers. "I wish I could take away your heartache." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead. It was then that I was no longer a little girl but nineteen. Sable was before me, his hand at my nape, his scent of leather and embers wafting to me.

"But you did this to yourself," he said. I opened my eyes to see that he no longer looked like Sable. His eyes were pure black, his veins dark, he looked...evil. I opened my mouth to scream-

I jerked awake to my head getting thrown to the right and prickles of pain erupting over the left side of my face. I had been slapped. My eyes flew open to see a guard hovering above me. He had his sword at my throat, pressing so hard that tears stirred in my eyes.

"Execution day has come early, sweetheart," the guard rasped. I felt my eyes go wide and the breath catch in my throat. Execution? Sable hadn't said anything about execution.

I screamed as he and another guard grabbed me by the arms and forced me to stand, they were wearing gloves lined with iron. Before I had fallen asleep, someone had thrown me a shift dress and told me to change. I had no idea where my ice dress went, but I doubted I'd ever see it again. The dress I was wearing now was nothing more than a potato sack with arm sleeves, the hem going down to just above my knees.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked as I was forced out of the cell. I didn't have any shoes on, they confiscated those last night as well. I grimaced as I felt dirt stick to the soles of my feet.

The butt of a sword cracked into the back of my skull and I staggered forward, my legs buckling as dark spots scattered over my vision. I could hardly think through the pain as I was hauled up the stairs. My knees knocked into the steps so much that I could feel the skin peeling and cold blood leaking out. Obviously Gabriel hadn't told them to be gentle.

I was marched up the dark stairs and into the hall. Servants eyed me with disgust as we walked, some even spat on me. I hardly cared. All I could think about was what I was marching to. My execution. Gabriel was going to kill me.

I fought against the guards holding me but they only tightened their grips or slammed their weapons into me. One guard even landed a solid punch to my nose, making blue blood splatter onto my shift.

But the physical pain wasn't the worst agony. No, the worst agony was the betrayal. Sable had told my story to the king and now he was going to kill me. Sable probably hadn't even tried to stop my execution, I wondered if he'd suggested it. I wouldn't have been surprised.

I tried not to let them, but I felt tears swirl in my eyes. I had gone through so much. So much. I had endured becoming a fae, feeling my bones break and my tendons reform. I had gone through that gods-awful boot camp in Camp Caligo. Been assaulted by the Ensign of the army. Lost my sister. Been tortured by Sable for months. And this was how my life ended? I had been broken time and again but I rebuilt, over and over again. But was it all for nothing? Was this what the gods had planned for me?

Sable told me there had been a prophecy of a girl, a human girl, in Rame who was destined to bring an end to the crown. Sable was sure it had been me but I wasn't sure how. I was going to die today, not bring an end to Gabriel. I would die and the world would keep on moving. Gabriel would keep on ruling, Hiraeth would keep on dying, and Sable would keep on killing. I was sent as a spy to change the world of Hiraeth, to bring about freedom for half-fae across the kingdoms. But I had failed. I had died for the cause but ultimately did not help them. I was a failure.